


December 8th: Same Time Next Year

by DarkJediQueen



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Recovered_ProfilersForChristmas2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-09 05:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12881340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen
Summary: It was a fling, a simple week-long fling that they had been doing for eight years, Spencer Reid should have known that there was nothing simple about Aaron Hotchner or what he wanted.





	December 8th: Same Time Next Year

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [FA_ProfilersForChristmas2017](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FA_ProfilersForChristmas2017) collection. 



Spencer Reid rubbed his head with a towel and looked at himself in the mirror, he was wearing the same beautiful smile that he always did when he was with Aaron Hotchner for a weeklong affair. He could hear Aaron in the other room ordering dinner. The door was shut, but that was Spencer's doing. Aaron was acting weird, and he had been since he had arrived in Los Angeles six days before.

Aaron hadn't acted that way since their first time together eight years before. Spencer had answered an ad placed in a very reputable matching service for casual flings. Spencer had done it because, with his teaching class load and his writing, he had no time to date endlessly and finding a person on the street was hard when one wanted a week of nothing but sex. Deep backgrounds were done on each person who had access to the ads, and Spencer had liked the sound of Aaron Hotchner. So for eight years, they had met up for a week before Christmas for days on end of sex and dinners out. Spencer looked forward to it every single year because he didn't have to be anything other than himself. Aaron was a sure thing, despite Spencer's bumbling antics when it came to seduction or ability to ramble when he was nervous.

"Spencer?" Aaron called out through the door. Spencer opened the door, smirking when Aaron's eyes tracked up and down his body. Spencer knew that he was good to look at, but he had been running in the mornings. After years of hearing Aaron talk about his running and the stress relief of it, Spencer had started on the facilities that CalTech had. When it was beautiful out, Spencer ran outside on campus, but if it was rainy or too cold for him, he stayed in the college workout room.

"Yes?" Spencer asked.

Aaron was only wearing a pair of underwear, and he reached out for Spencer's hands. Spencer tossed his towel over toward the hamper in the room. He allowed himself to be pulled toward the bed. Aaron had to take a work call as the rest of his team at the FBI was still working, and they needed him. Spencer had gone down to swim while Aaron had been otherwise occupied. Spencer had hoped that Aaron would come down and watch him, but he was still on the phone when Spencer had come back up. The sun was long set, but Spencer wasn't tired.

"Come to bed."

"But I'm hungry, and I am not answering the door naked this time." Spencer grinned at Aaron because so far, Aaron had got him to answer the door naked three times this round of their fling. It was a game to them, and it usually ended in Spencer answering the door butt naked after Aaron kissed him to distraction.

"Dinner is ordered for an hour from now."

"Why so long?" Spencer heard his stomach rumble a little in hunger. He allowed Aaron to pull him to the bed though. Aaron spun him to where Spencer fell on his back on the bed bouncing from the force of how fast he was spun. "Aaron!"

Aaron just laughed and dropped down to settle on his hands and knees over Spencer. Aaron was grinning down at him.

"I want to talk before the food gets here."

"There isn't a lot of talking that happens when one of us is naked in bed," Spencer said as he reached up and looped his hand around Aaron's neck to pull him down. Aaron resisted though, and Spencer pouted. Aaron could never say no to Spencer's pout.

"Put that away," Aaron said as he shifted to rest on one hand and reached out to pull down on Spencer's lip that was stuck out. Aaron grabbed both of Spencer's hands, pulling the one off of his neck to press them down into the bed. "I've learned the best way to talk to you. Spencer, I want you to be serious."

"Okay." Spencer frowned because he wondered if why Aaron was acting so weird was that he wanted to end this. Spencer hated that thought. He tugged on his hands and Aaron let them go, sitting up on his haunches. Spencer grabbed a pillow as he sat up, his back pressed into the headboard. He covered himself up with the pillow and looked at Aaron.

"Talk."

"You look like you are going to the gallows." Aaron frowned at the look on Spencer's face. "Well, it's nothing bad enough to warrant that look. When I leave, I want you to go home with me."

"What?" Spencer near recoiled back. "Please repeat that."

"I want you to go home with me. I want you to meet Jack. I want you in my life."

"You want me to go to DC?" Spencer thought about what Aaron would really want with that. Why would Aaron want him to go home? There was no point for Jack to meet him for him to just go home a few days from then. Aaron was just thinking with his dick. He wanted Spencer to go home with him so that he could have more sex. "I'll think about it."

Aaron nodded and reached out to grab the pillow, grinning as he did. He got a wicked look on his face before he grabbed Spencer's legs next and pulled Spencer down to him. Spencer's head bounced off the bed, but Aaron was right there, their tongues tangling as Spencer opened his mouth to yell at Aaron. Spencer grabbed Aaron's hair, not gently at all and held him in place. Aaron would forget about what he wanted when it was the cold light of day of him having to leave.

* * *

Spencer realized on Christmas Eve, looking at the date on his phone, that Aaron usually left the day before and that meant that Aaron meant what he had said. Spencer was closing the zip on his suitcase and thinking. Even though he lived in the city, it was nice to stay in a hotel instead of inviting Aaron back to his apartment. He was packing to leave but would he go with Aaron or remain in California? He looked at himself in the mirror of the closet door. Aaron had already packed up, and he hadn't said a thing since almost two nights ago about Spencer going with him to DC. Spencer didn't know what he wanted to do.

"Spencer? The bellhop is here," Aaron said, his voice sounding hollow.

"Good. Thanks," Spencer said as Aaron grabbed Spencer's bags before he could. Spencer watched as Aaron handed all of their bags over to the bellhop. He looked at Aaron and knew that he wasn't going to let the man leave without going with him. He didn't have to be back to campus until the end of the month, and even then he really didn't have to be.

"Are we going to share a cab?" Spencer asked. They usually did, but he wasn't sure what Aaron would want to do to not have to face the chance of Spencer not getting out of the cab with him at the airport.

"Yes." Aaron held out his hand, and Spencer took it. Spencer tucked himself into Aaron's side as they followed the bellhop out of the room. If this went the way that Spencer was pretty sure that it was going to, it was going to be their last getaway together.

Spencer kept his mouth quiet as he settled into the cab and allowed the valets to pack their things into the trunk. Aaron tipped the men before he got into the cab, settling into Spencer's side and laying a hand on Spencer's knee. Spencer was tempted to get on his phone, but that would alert Aaron to what he was doing. Spencer wanted to do it. He wanted to take the chance, Aaron had already stayed longer than average, and that had told Spencer that he was serious about it. Other than letting his landlord know to hold his papers for longer, Spencer didn't have to tell anyone what he was doing.

The entire trip to the airport, Spencer's leg that Aaron wasn't touching was bouncing. Aaron kept looking at Spencer, but he never asked. When the cab pulled into the drop-off area, Spencer followed Aaron out of the cab. Spencer didn't shut the cab door, but he did step out of the reach of the door when he did go to shut it.

"It's now or-"

"Do you have a ticket for me?" Spencer said talking over Aaron. He saw the happiness in Aaron's eyes as he did.

"Yes." Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer's waist leaning in to kiss him. Spencer tried to pull out but Aaron wouldn't. He wanted a longer kiss, so Spencer wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck and held on tight. Aaron spun them around, and it made Spencer laugh as he looked at his lover. "I can't wait until you meet Jack."

"I don't have any presents for him," Spencer said because he hadn't thought about that and it wasn't like there was much open at the late hour that it was going to be in DC when they landed. Spencer knew that it would be near midnight if the plane left on time.

"Don't worry about that. I have that covered."

Spencer nodded. He thought about what he could find at the stores inside the LAX airport and Dulles one. He didn't know enough about Jack to even buy him anything. Spencer knew that he liked soccer and comic books and drawing, but he knew that Aaron kept him in everything that he needed for those. Jack liked to read but buying a kid books was hard unless Spencer knew everything that he already had or had already read.

Aaron's hands never left Spencer's body as they moved through the airport unless they had to. Spencer liked it because it kept him grounded. Spencer had never felt so nervous about anything in his life. His hands shook when he handed over the ticket that had his name on it for a flight to DC.

"Spencer, he's going to love you."

Spencer made a noncommittal noise and focused on what he was going to say to Jack when he met him. He had no clue what Aaron was going to tell Jack about him. What Aaron had told Jack about why he left for the week before Christmas.

There was little that Spencer remembered of the flight. Aaron held his hand through the entire flight, trying to calm him down but there was no calming to be had. Aaron indulged him through the entire thing, forcing him to drink to keep hydrated and only allowing him a single glass of wine.

"Spencer, calm down."

"Okay," Spencer said looking out the window as the plane landed. Spencer knew that Jack wasn't going to be awake, he was ten and even if it was Christmas ten-year-olds went to bed before midnight. Spencer waited until everyone was off the plane before he even unbuckled from his seat.

"How do you handle teaching if the thought of meeting my son scares you?" Aaron asked as he zipped up Spencer's coat.

"It's cold here."

"Yes, it's December, and it's DC. It's a good excuse to cuddle." Aaron turned up the collar of Spencer's coat. Spencer grinned at Aaron, trying to show that he was excited about this. He just had to get to Aaron's apartment and survive the night and the morning and the day. He had nothing for Aaron either. He trusted that Aaron had gifts for Jack from him covered. He was sure that Aaron had bought a lot of gifts for Jack and so a few moved over to Spencer would be good. Jack at least would love the gifts that Aaron appropriated for him.

Spencer wondered if he could get away from Aaron long enough to get him a gift somewhere. He thought about what he would even get him. They had sex and dinners out where they talked about little besides life in general. There was no talk about favorite hobbies and things that were liked. It was sex but Aaron wanted more, and since the moment that Aaron had brought up more, Spencer wanted it too. He hated how much he wanted it.

Spencer trusted Aaron to guide him through the airport and into whatever car Aaron had driven to the airport in. The town car though that they both got into the backseat of was a shock.

"I wasn't sure what kind of mood I would be in and how drunk from the flight. I'm glad you are here."

"So am I."

"Really because you haven't stopped shaking since we got onto the plane."

"The last thing that I did that I hadn't made a list for, a pro and con list and exhausted everything that could happen was eight years ago, Aaron. Even it was pretty much exhausted on what could happen. I've never done anything quite this stupid."

"It's not stupid."

"I came to a strange city to meet the son of a man I've been having a week-long fling with for eight years. I have no one here, Aaron."

"You have me, and all you need is me. I want this to work, Spencer and I will do everything that I can to make it work. So let's go to my home and settle in for the night."

"Home?" Spencer tried to think about when Aaron had called it a home and not an apartment.

"Yes," Aaron said nothing else, but he pulled Spencer into his side even though the car was really warm. Spencer didn't like December in DC.

Spencer watched everything pass by as the driver took them toward wherever Aaron had told the driver to go when he had booked the car. Spencer knew that Aaron had money, some of it family and the rest from his job which paid very well. Aaron always brought a few impeccable suits with him to California for their dinners out.

The car pulled into a cul-de-sac that had every single house decked out with lights and decorations. There was one house though that Spencer knew was Aaron's. It had R2-D2 made out of lights on the door. Aaron's house was the best on the street, even without the droid. The lights weren't too much, and it just looked beautiful.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

"Good." Aaron opened the door and stepped out, reaching back down to help Spencer out of the car. The trunk was popped, and the driver never got out to offer them help. Spencer figured that Aaron had already gone over all of that with the person driving. "Here."

Spencer moved to take his things from the trunk of the car. Aaron dug out keys and smiled at Spencer before making his way up. It had snowed several inches recently. The yards were still picturesque in their view while the road into and out of the cul-de-sac was perfectly cared for.

"Welcome to my home," Aaron said as he opened the door to the house. He slipped inside quickly and turned off the alarm. Aaron appeared to grab his bags and smile at Spencer. "I'll give you a tour in the morning."

"Why not tonight?" Spencer asked.

"Because I have other plans for us tonight."

"Aaron, you are home."

Spencer heard the female voice, and he stopped. He stopped everything, breathing, thinking, everything. He turned to see a very beautiful woman standing there.

"Jessica, thank you for watching Jack longer than normal."

"Is this your man?" Jessica said with a smile. "Hello Spencer, my name is Jessica Brooks. I'm Aaron's sister-in-law."

Spencer nodded and held out his hand to shake Jessica's. Jessica took it with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Spencer said. He looked at Aaron. Aaron had talked about his ex-sister-in-law before but not a lot. Spencer didn't know what he thought, but he knew that when Aaron worked, Jessica helped to watch Jack, Spencer just hadn't thought that Jessica watched Jack while Aaron was in California.

"Aaron, I'll stop by in time to help you get dinner out tomorrow. I'm excited about a nice stress-free family meal for once. Spencer, it was lovely to meet you. I'm sorry, but I need to rush home to finish up some things for breakfast with my parents tomorrow." Jessica kissed Aaron on the cheek before she was gone.

"She's nice?" Spencer said.

"Her parents wanted a breakfast with her and called her tonight to plan it. She did some cooking here, but a few things are left before it'll be ready. I tried to get her to stay here tonight but she wouldn't."

"Because of me?" Spencer asked.

"Not so much as her parents don't like that she stays in contact with me as much as she does. They would rather that I am never mentioned at all. This is not what I wanted to talk about. Grab your things."

Spencer picked up his two bags and followed Aaron up to the second floor. Aaron showed him to the bedroom.

"Just set out your things while I check on Jack. Just...don't leave." Aaron kissed Spencer quickly before setting down his things and heading out of the room. Spencer almost followed him, but he didn't want to seem too eager. Aaron had never shared a picture of Jack with him. It would have crossed their line of not getting too personal. Now though, Spencer thought that maybe he should have asked before following Aaron home.

Spencer grabbed his bag with his toiletries and walked to the bathroom. It was huge, and it fit Aaron perfectly. Spencer found Aaron's things on the counter, but the other side was empty. Spencer finished setting out his things on the empty side of the sink before he stepped back into the bedroom and found that half of the closet. Spencer opened up the first drawer that he saw and found that it was empty as well. Aaron had made room in his house for Spencer. Spencer looked at his bags on the floor. He swallowed. This was real.

"Hey," Aaron said as he entered the room again and pulled the door shut behind him.

"Hey."

"So I had this big fantasy that you would be naked in bed, but then I remembered that you have been nervous since you got on the plane, so there was no way you were going to get naked. So you want to shower? I know that you showered in California before we left because you were sticky from our...goodbyes. I just know that you always shower after you take the cab to the hotel. I didn't know you if you wanted one again after the flight or not."

"You are nervous."

"Yes. Yes, I am nervous. More nervous than I have been about anything in a long time. I want this to work, Spencer and I know that jumping in like this is kind of stupid but I ached missing you this last year. So after I left, I set about this. Jack's wanted to move into a house for a while with a backyard so that he can get a dog or a turtle, he's not fully decided yet."

"You want me to move in with you?"

"Yes."

"Aaron, we've spent a week with each other once a year for eight years. That's not enough to know that we can live together. We are both on our best behavior when are staying in a hotel. I have a job, a life in California. I can't just leave there."

"No but you can fly here every other weekend, or I can come to you, with Jack. He's pretty happy with anything as long as he gets to spend time with me. He'd love to go to California for visits."

"You want me to move in with you here but still live in California as well?"

"Until you find something here. You've talked about being bored at CalTech and wanting a new school. I bet if you put out the word you were moving here, you would get a lot of offers. It would just be until summer. We can do weekend trips to you or you to us."

"You've thought a lot about this haven't you?" Spencer asked.

"Yes. I have a list of pros and cons for you." Aaron stepped forward to Spencer grabbing his hands and pulling him in for a kiss. Spencer submitted to the kiss willingly. There was going to be months before Spencer would have to make a decision, months of getting to know Aaron on a better level. Months of getting to know Jack. Aaron wasn't asking for him to move at that moment, just be open to it. "Do you want a shower?"

"Not right now. I need to get rid of the nervous energy from the trip. I had you last so now it's your turn. I also think that you'll enjoy taking me in your bed."

"Ours," Aaron said before he took Spencer's mouth in a kiss. Aaron's hands dropped Spencer's and settled on his hips. Spencer gasped as he was lifted up. Aaron loved to manhandle Spencer. Spencer loved it though when Aaron manhandled him.

Spencer saved himself from answering by wrapping his arms around Aaron's head and holding onto him tightly.

* * *

Spencer didn't know what woke him up, but he looked around, and without his contacts or glasses, he didn't know where he was. He felt the bed move, and then he remembered that he was in Aaron's home, in Aaron's bed. Aaron wasn't wrapped around him anymore though.

"Santa did it, Dad," a voice said.

"What?" Aaron asked.

Spencer realized that the other voice had to be Jack and from what Aaron had said, Jack didn't believe in Santa anymore.

"Aunt Jessica told me to wish really hard last night for what I wanted, and she said that she was sure that Santa, the belief in him would make it happen and there he is. A guy to make you happy."

Spencer swallowed as he thought about the fact that he had been sure that Jack would hate a complete stranger coming over for Christmas but instead, Jack was excited that there was a stranger in the house, in his father's bed.

"Buddy, we talked about this. This is Spencer. He's still asleep."

"Aunt Jessica said that you were going to get in late. That I shouldn't jump on the bed like I normally do but your door wasn't shut, so I came in. Is Spencer going to stay?"

"For a little while. He has to go back to California and back to his job but if you like him a lot and he likes you a lot, we can see about going to visit him or him coming to visit us on the weekends."

"Okay. I'm going to go and look at the tree and get some milk to drink. Can we have french toast today?"

"Sure. We can eat breakfast as soon as I wake up Spencer."

Spencer closed his eyes as he felt the bed move and Jack left the room on quiet but not silent feet. Aaron rolled over in bed and kissed Spencer's bare shoulder before wrapping an arm around him. Aaron had talked him into just sleeping in pants and nothing else. Spencer sighed, and he knew that Aaron knew that he was awake.

"I don't have a present for you," Spencer said.

"Having you here is enough of a present for me. Getting to know my son and hopefully starting to like him is present enough for me. Just be here until you absolutely can't be anymore and I'll consider that the best Christmas present ever."

"He really wanted me to come back with you?"

"I've told him about you, in general terms that you are a close friend, and that's why I go and visit you, but no he didn't know that we were personal like that. He's wanted me happy for a while. You were just a part of that happiness."

"I can tell he's happy. French toast is pretty special."

"It really is because I don't do it often at all. So since we showered last night, we can just get up and start the day. Jack's patient enough to wait for breakfast to be done before he will ask to open presents. He would rather to not have to stop for anything after he gets his presents, not even food. Dinner tonight is going to be simple, my co-worker Dave as well as another co-worker and her husband and son. Henry is the son's name, and he has a few presents for Jack, so they want to exchange them. If you don't want to be here for that, I can find something for you to do."

"I should meet them though, right? Since you want this to be a forever thing."

"Dave is nosy, but I think you'll like JJ." Aaron nuzzled at the skin of Spencer's neck. "I know it's not normal, and it's not something that most people will understand, but I love you, Spencer."

"I-I." Spencer stopped and swallowed. He knew what Aaron meant no one would think them sane but he did love Aaron, in his own way. "I love you, too."

"So let's get you introduced to Jack, and we can start breakfast."

"Okay." Spencer felt a smile on his face as Aaron rolled away from him to get out of the bed on his side. Spencer looked at his bag that he had unpacked the night before. He had started to feel like he belonged, even after a single night and he didn't want to give that up. Ever.  
**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
> Aaron Hotchner and Dr. Spencer Reid have an arrangement. It's been that way for the last seven or eight years now. It is this, during the week before Christmas the two meet in Los Angeles for a weeklong affair. Aaron always leaves the day before Christmas Eve so he can spend it with his son. Spencer goes back to his teaching. The two never talk about the future, or what they really want from each other. 
> 
> This year, though, Aaron makes Spencer choose. He wants more. He wants the genius in his life, he wants him to meet his son, he wants a lot of things and when Aaron stays through to Christmas, Spencer knows he's serious. Is Spencer willing to take that chance for more?
> 
> Yes, this was inspired by the movie of the same name.


End file.
